With ‘Necro’, LIK once again show that Old School Swedish Death Metal does not need to be treated like a museum piece. For them, the legacy of Entombed, Dismember, Grave, Unleashed and the whole rotten Swedish tradition is not a burden, but a source of energy. Still, what makes LIK interesting is not only their devotion to the past, but the way they keep that sound alive through groove, breath, dirt and honest songwriting.
In this interview, LIK talk about the making of ‘Necro’, the importance of the HM-2 sound, working with Lawrence Mackrory, writing with the whole album in mind, the role of horror and decay in their lyrics, the current Old School Death Metal revival, artificial intelligence, touring, live energy and why Death Metal still needs to breathe.
No fake nostalgia, no modern disguise: just Swedish Death Metal played by people who clearly love what they do.
‘Necro’ sounds deeply connected to classic Swedish Death Metal, but it does not feel like a simple nostalgic exercise. What did you want to express or prove with this album?
Exactly that. We wanted something that represented Old School Swedish Death Metal. Something that captured the feeling and the vibe of it. Sometimes it is a simple word, like ‘Necro’.
When you listen to ‘Necro’ now as a finished record, do you feel it represents exactly where LIK stands today, or are you already thinking about pushing the band into a different direction?
LIK has always been very clear about what kind of music we want to play: Old School Swedish Death Metal. And we want to pay tribute to the ones before us. However, we always try to push ourselves to become better with every record.
Many current bands try to sound “old school”, but not all of them sound truly alive. Where do you think the difference lies between honoring a tradition and being trapped by it?
When we play live or make tracks, we always aim for the groove. The groove is so important for the music to feel alive. The music has to breathe. That is the key, in my opinion. At least for LIK.
Swedish Death Metal has a huge legacy behind it: Entombed, Dismember, Grave, Unleashed and many others. Is that legacy a burden when creating new music, or is it simply a natural source of energy for LIK?
For us, it is a source of energy. We want to honor the legacy, but still with a touch of our own sound.
Riffs, groove, melody and the HM-2 sound…LIK has a very strong riff-based identity. When you are writing, what usually comes first: aggression, groove, melody, darkness, or simply that rotten feeling of death?
It really depends on what kind of track you need. We usually write with an album in mind, asking ourselves: what kind of song does the album need? If it needs an aggressive tune, we go for that, and if it needs something else, we go for that.
It is all about balance and contrasts within the music. So you cannot really say what comes first. It is an overall picture of a bigger thing.
There are melodies in your music that do not make the songs softer, but instead make them more memorable and more morbid. How do you balance melody and brutality without losing weight?
Hehe, that is a hard question to answer. I guess it is an understanding of the genre and what goes with it. It helps that all of us are good writers and good musicians.
How was the writing and recording process for ‘Necro’? Was it a fast and direct album to make, or did you spend a lot of time shaping the final result?
Since ‘Misanthropic Breed’ was released during the pandemic and no live shows could be done during that time, we almost hit a complete pause with the writing of new music. We had a hard time getting the right inspiration to write new music. But after a few years back on the road, we felt it was time to write another album again, and when that feeling came, the music started pouring out.
The guitar sound is an essential part of LIK’s identity. How much time do you spend searching for the right tone, and how important is that dirty Swedish sound for the band?
Easy: HM-2 all the way. And together with the mastermind Lawrence Mackrory, our producer and mixing engineer, it is a match made in heaven.
Vocals, horror and lyrical identity…The vocals in LIK have a very raw and aggressive presence. How do you approach the vocal delivery so it fits the intensity of the riffs?
It is really not something we thought much about. We needed a singer, Tomas said that he could try it out, and the rest is history. It really fit our sound perfectly!
Death, decay, horror and morbidity are very present in LIK’s lyrics and imagery. What role does that visual and lyrical world play in the identity of the band?
I think it is a very common theme in Death Metal overall. The lyrics have to fit the music and the emotions that it creates.
Life outside Death Metal…Outside LIK, how is a normal day for you? Do you work in other areas, have families, hobbies, or does music take almost all your time?
We all have different “normal” days. Some of us have other bands and some of us work with other stuff that is not music related. But music takes most of our time.
When you are not playing Death Metal, what do you usually do to disconnect? Are any of you into football, movies, food, video games, nature, or something completely far from metal?
I guess all of that except sports, haha.
Sweden is often seen from the outside as a very organized, cold and calm country, but it has produced an enormous amount of extreme music. Why do you think such a place has created so much dark and aggressive Death Metal?
Haha, I guess being cold and dark almost 70% of the year would be a good explanation. But we also have a lot of music in our blood, and good schools that teach music from an early stage.
What kind of music do you listen to nowadays that has nothing to do with Death Metal? Is there any artist or style that could surprise LIK fans?
I listen to a lot of synth music, like the Norwegian duo Röyksopp.
If you had to describe LIK as a horror movie, a food, or a beer, what would it be and why?
A horror movie. Like I said earlier, we write lyrics in the style of horror movies, with the music as a score for that scene. Sometimes aggressive and sometimes tasteful, but still with the vibe of a horror movie.
The underground, legacy and the old school revival…There is a new generation of bands playing Old School Death Metal all over the world. Do you see this as a real renewal of the scene, or do you sometimes feel it stays too much in the aesthetics, logos and retro sound?
I think this is great! If more people and bands, like us, embrace the Old School Death Metal scene with all that comes with it, I am all for it!
Are there any newer bands, Swedish or from any other country, that you find especially interesting right now?
I am very bad at checking out new Death Metal acts, so I have no idea, but I guess there is a lot of great talent out there.
The underground is more connected than ever because of the internet, but maybe it is also less mysterious than before. Do you think the underground has gained or lost something with this constant exposure?
It is a new time for sure. When I grew up, I loved that “untouchable” feeling you got from your idols. But nowadays it is totally different. Fans love to get a glimpse of the “behind the scenes” stuff. Me included.
Many important musicians from the classic metal and extreme metal generations are getting older or passing away. How do you see that process? What happens to a scene when its historical references slowly start to disappear?
Well, that is life, unfortunately. Everyone will die at some point, but the music will forever live and that legacy will never be gone. The music is so much more than just the mortals behind it.
Do you feel that bands like LIK also have a responsibility to keep alive a certain way of understanding Death Metal, not only as music, but also as an attitude?
Yes and no. We do this for ourselves. We love this kind of music and we love to perform live and so on.
But if people outside think we are doing something good for the scene, that is just a huge bonus.
Do not get me wrong, we absolutely love all the support we get. But the core of LIK is the love for Old School Swedish Death Metal.
Artificial intelligence and human imperfection…Today there is a lot of discussion about artificial intelligence, digital composition, automated production and even music generated by machines. What do you think about all this from the perspective of a band so connected to an organic and old school sound?
We do not endorse it at all. But at the same time, it is hard to ignore it. Hopefully in the future there will be some sort of balance, because I think it is here to stay.
Do you think artificial intelligence could be a useful tool for musicians, or do you feel it threatens something essential in artistic creation?
I think it absolutely could. But as a creator, you cannot get lazy with it. It is not supposed to do everything for you, but maybe it could be helpful in some way or another. I do not know exactly how at this point, but I am sure it will.
In Death Metal, human error, dirt, breathing, imperfection and danger are often part of the charm. Do you think music that is too perfect can kill the essence of the genre?
Again, yes and no, haha. It all depends on what style you are after. I think it can sometimes be a very cool effect in some genres where the music is super tight and on the grid. But for the kind of Death Metal we play, it needs that “breathing”, like you said.
Touring, live energy and keeping Death Metal alive…How do you prepare before a live show? Do you have any rituals or routines, or do you simply go onstage and destroy everything?
Hehe, the boring answer is that we simply go onstage and have a lot of fun.
From the outside, touring can look like the glorious side of being in a band, but it also means long trips, little sleep, pressure and exhaustion. What is the hardest part of keeping a Death Metal band active on the road?
Boredom and the lack of sleep are absolutely the hardest parts of being out on the road.
Is there a big difference between LIK in the studio and LIK on stage? Do the songs become more violent live?
If you are talking about the album versions compared to the live versions of the tracks, there is not a huge difference. But sometimes the songs will be slower or faster, depending on what energy we get from the audience.
And with that, I do not mean that playing a tiny bit slower on a slow track is the effect of a boring crowd. Quite the opposite. It makes the show more alive.
What does a good Death Metal show need to have for you to say: “this was really worth it”?
Good energy, both from the band and the audience. And to see people have a good time. That is so important to us.
LIK has a sound strongly connected to Sweden, but Death Metal is a global language. Does it still surprise you to see how this music connects with fans from very distant places?
It is very humbling, for sure. And it is nothing we take for granted. We love all the support we get from our fans!
Beyond the Swedish Death Metal label…For an international audience like VM-Underground, what do you think people should understand about LIK beyond the label “Swedish Death Metal”?
That we do this because we love it. And that we really want to honor the legacy of those who came before us.
After ‘Necro’, what comes next for LIK? More touring, new material, videos, or simply continuing to push the Death Metal machine forward?
Now we are looking forward to these summer festival shows we have, and maybe next year we will focus on writing a new album. The show must go on!
Finally, what message would you like to leave to the maniacs who still believe in Death Metal as something dirty, dangerous and real?
Keep it up! You are not alone and do not forget to stay hydrated.
